Tuesday, 9 July 2013

When it comes to film, 2013 may have had a disappointing start, but 8 months in, and there are lots to choose from. Here are my top 9. (In no particular order)

Spring Breakers (Harmony Korine)

Spring
Breakers had a wafer-thin plotline, an arrogantly adolescent soundtrack and was
borderline misogynistic.

But
no, it has not been added to the wrong list. There is something
hypnotically satisfying about Harmony Korine’s chaotic filmmaking that makes for
an unforgettable rollercoaster. Though there is very little character
development, we still develop an affinity and understanding with Selena Gomez’s
Faith, rooting for her escape from the farfetched and ridiculous situation she has
found herself in. And while his
character is never likable, James Franco’s Alien is the most enchanting lunatic you
will watch all year.

You’ll
never listen to Britney Spears in the same way again.

Before Midnight (Richard
Linklater)

When
nothing happens in a full 95 minutes of film and you still come out of the
cinema feeling changed, you know you have witnessed something masterful. This
slots perfectly into the Before Sunrise/Sunset trilogy, but more importantly
works as a film in its own right. Never has a relationship drama felt so
painfully honest - when you watch these two, not entirely likable people laugh and fight you realise that you are these people inside your own current or past relationships.

Without for one second being tacky, patronising or working
in clichés, Richard Linklater gives us a very personal lesson in what love really
is.

Behind The Candelabra (Steven
Soderbergh)

When
you think of the great onscreen romances you think of Kate and Leo or Fred and
Ginger...You would not expect to add Matt Damon and Michael Douglas to the list.
This biographical account of piano-legend Liberace and his long and complicated
relationship with his partner Scott Thorson is as vibrant and fun as it is
tender and touching.

Though
this was not originally meant to be a motion picture, and instead a TV-film, it shows the
great skill and depth that Soderbergh possesses, and this is truly his last feature it is a great
shame, as no other film screams “Oscar” louder than this. Soderbergh clearly
still has a great deal to give.

Star Trek into
The Darkness (J.J.
Abrams)

Man
of Steel, World War Z and Iron Man 3 are among some of the action blockbusters to hit
our screens this year – but one stands above them all. This sequel to the solid
2009 reboot is packed full of action, while never once becoming repetitive or dull. The
sci-fi epic still manages to spend enough time focusing on the character
development of its well-known protagonists - led by a faultless performance
from Zachary Quinto as the iconic Spock and a fully on-form Benedict Cumberbatch,
who spooks us as the menacing Khan. Bring on the third instalment.

The Place Beyond
Pines (Derek
Cianfrance)

It
may not have been as tragically gripping as Blue Valentine, but Derek
Cianfrance’s latest feature is still one to watch. The indie-drama is separated
into 3 separate sub-plots and, admittedly, some characters’ stories are more
interesting than others. Gosling, though treading on familiar ground, still
gives a remarkable performance as Luke, while Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes
provide strong backup.

Cianfrance recreates Blue Valentine's haunting sense of stillness in this atmospheric crime drama. It is
exciting to anticipate what this budding-auteur might do next.

Mud (Jeff Nichols)

The
trailer was less than inspiring. Matthew Mcconaughey and Reese Witherspoon did
not appeal as leads. The plot looked done. But one cannot argue with 98% on
Rotten Tomatoes, so, begrudgedly, I went to see what the fuss was about.

Luckily,
the performances were solid and refreshing and the story was believable and well
structured. It may have been a slow burner, but the audience's perseverance is rewarded with an action-packed finale.

Cinema’s most pleasant surprise of 2013.

Stories We Tell (Sarah Polley)

Sarah
Polley has shown a lot of promise as a director in the past few years, but none
of the stories she has told have been as interesting as her own. Though at a
first glance, this interview-based documentary is just about family, you soon
realise that it also studies memory, character and forgiveness.

It is an intensely emotionally and revealing
experience, told from the point of view of Polley’s nearest and dearest. One of
this bibliographical picture’s biggest triumphs is the reincarnation of Polley’s
mother – Diane McMillan, through vague re-enactments and with the interviewees’
various recollections, we feel as if we know her - a struggle many directors
have with characters they actually have dialogue for.

Stories we tell is never just a Documentary. It
is an investigation, an experiment and most importantly, a story.

The Bling Ring (Sofia Coppola)

As
an admirer of Sophia Coppola’s work, there was a sense of relief when the
credits rolled. The Bling Ring is an
effortlessly executed yet also profoundly complex investigation into the shallow
world of celebrity fascination. Fortunately, though this is arguably Coppola’s
most commercial picture to date, she does not lose the unique style of film-making which made her past four features so poignant: throughout the mayhem
of this satirical-drama, Coppola manages to project that dreamy and somewhat detached
sense of wonder that made Lost in
Translation and The Virgin Suicides so
aesthetically appealing. ‘America has this sick
fascination with the whole Bonnie and Clyde kind of thing’, one of her
protagonists proclaims, but it is not just America, it is everyone, and that is
what makes this such an intriguing picture. Coppola does not go down the
obvious directorial path – we are not compelled to judge these people; instead
with are invited inside of her bling ring so that we can live the events amongst
them.

Much Ado About
Nothing (Joss
Whedon)

After
The Avengers became the third highest
grossing film ever, it is hard to believe that Joss Whedon’s next cinematic
release would be a micro-budget Shakespearean adaptation filmed in black and
white and shot over 12 days in his own house mostly using the cast of Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse.

Well, it
was, but of course Joss can do no wrong.

This is
a charming, vibrant and snappy little film and may well be the best Shakespeare
–to-film we have had since Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet.

Thursday, 3 January 2013

There have, of course, been the yearly disappointments, (Killing Them Softly, Holy Motors, The Master, Take This Waltz) and the outright turkeys, (American Reunion, Seeking a Friend for the End of The World, The Dictator). But overall, as with music, it has been a fantastic year for film and has been difficult to whittle it down

... Here's my ten...

10) Amour (Michael Haneke) - A heartbreakingly realistic story about the demise of the human condition. Perfectly bleak and depressing.

9) Chronicle(Josh Trank) - This is Marvel and DC comics' distant and estranged cousin. Chronicleshows us that having the biggest budget, the biggest names and the biggest hype doesn't always give you the biggest film.

6) Lawless (John Hillcoat) - Nothing particularly innovative here, yet the solid storytelling and gripping performances are triumphant. The most underrated film of the year.

5) The Impostor (Bart Layton) - The most shocking, unsettling and sometimes humorous documentary of the 2012. Though it relies mainly upon fact, this Docu-drama has as many twists and turns as a David Fincher film.

4) ParaNorman (Chris Butler) - There have been a lot of children's animated films this year but this one is a standout. Boundary breaking, colourful and fun.

3) Beasts of the Southern Wild (Benh Zeitlin) - Quvenzhané Wallis gives a faultless performance as 6-year-old Hush Puppy, who is the most endearing and captivating character of the year. The rest of the film is pretty decent, too. Oscars for all! (probably not).

2) Life of Pi (Ang Lee)- Emotional, stunning, unforgettable.

1) Rust and Bone (Jacques Audiard) - Another two fantastic performances in this tragic story based on a life-changing accident.French cinema definitely dampened the mood this year, but they did it with such style.

Runners up include; Anna Karenina, The Dark Knight Rises, Cabin in the Woods and Argo.